As soon as they got in the car, Zhao Louyue unabashedly gave Jiang Shen a once-over with his eyes.
Jiang Shen felt it, and it was a bit awkward. “What are you looking at?”
Zhao Louyue replied, “You’re not hurt.” After a pause, he added, “You still went too easy on him.”
Jiang Shen didn’t know how to respond to this string of comments. His silence made the car even quieter.
Jiang Shen usually had great self-control, but right now, it seemed to be failing him, especially with Zhao Louyue sitting right next to him. The air felt strangely compressed, his breathing tightened, and the blood in his body seemed to rush uncontrollably to his limbs.
Jiang Shen grew up in Yuwei Village, which even now isn’t considered wealthy, let alone over a decade ago. Jiang Shen was fair-skinned since he was a child, and his parents couldn’t bear to let him work in the fields. But the more they protected him, the more sensible he became. Often, when Jiang Erkun and his wife returned home, they would find the courtyard clean and the household chores mostly done.
Later, when he returned to the Jiang family, Jiang Wenze, under the guise of “training,” threw him into the company for half a year, where he began to engage in various project collaborations.
From deals worth hundreds of thousands to those worth billions, involving the future of hundreds of employees working day and night, Jiang Shen dared not slack off.
No one asked Jiang Shen to take on everything, but he couldn’t help it. The environment he lived in demanded intelligence, strength, elegance, and a safety net, which seemed to be the most suitable life path for him.
Earlier, when Duan Chaosheng pushed him, Jiang Shen was prepared to get hurt.
Just like before, whether physically or mentally, as long as he wasn’t dead, he could get back up.
But Zhao Louyue silently stood in the darkness and caught him.
No one is unafraid of pain, and Jiang Shen was no exception. The feeling of being unharmed after losing balance was a first for him.
What a big deal, Jiang Shen thought, feeling that he was being overly sentimental for even thinking about these things. But in the end, he cleared his throat, “Thanks, I can handle this.”
“I know you can handle it,” Zhao Louyue’s tone still carried a hint of coldness, but then it softened, “Going home? I’ll take you.”
“Your car…”
“The driver took it. I heard from Fu Cheng that the Jiang residence is on Ninghe Road. Coincidentally, I have something to do there.”
“How will you get home?”
“I’ll just take a cab, no big deal.” Zhao Louyue said as he got out of the car, and Jiang Shen also opened the door to switch places with him.
Mainly because Jiang Shen’s fingertips were a bit numb, not suitable for driving.
Outside, the city lights were just coming on, the dim sky at the end pulling at the pale white, with dark clouds pressing down on the remaining sunset, creating a very desolate atmosphere.
“It’ll rain again tomorrow,” Zhao Louyue said, “Remember to bring an umbrella.”
“Yeah, I have a car for travel, it’s fine.” Jiang Shen leaned his head against the car window, then asked, “How much of my conversation with Duan Chaosheng did you hear?”
Zhao Louyue didn’t hide it, “About half. There were too many people in the elevator, so I thought taking the stairs would be faster.”
Jiang Shen: “You’re taking me home, not seeing Mr. Fu?”
“I saw him in the morning. I just had something to discuss, but it can be done over the phone.” Zhao Louyue braked at a red light, noticing Jiang Shen looking listless. He turned to the back seat and saw a neatly folded blanket. With his long arms, he easily reached it.
Jiang Shen: “No need…”
Zhao Louyue had already draped it over him, “You just recovered from a cold.”
Jiang Shen didn’t refuse, pulling the blanket around himself, feeling much warmer, “Is Mr. Zhao this nice to everyone?”
“Jiang Shen,” Zhao Louyue sighed, “That comment is heartless.”
Tsk.
Jiang Shen’s ears suddenly burned as if possessed, and he closed his eyes, “I’ll take a nap.”
Zhao Louyue generously said, “Go ahead.”
Jiang Shen used it as an excuse, but as soon as the car started, before he could think of anything, his consciousness was gently rocked away.
Before falling asleep, Jiang Shen’s only thought was that Zhao Louyue was quite terrifying. If he wanted to get along well with someone, breaking down their psychological defenses would be a piece of cake.
From the hospital to the Jiang residence, including traffic, it took an hour and a half, and Jiang Shen slept the whole way.
So much so that when he woke up, he was startled, “We’re here?”
“Yeah, you didn’t get carsick, did you?”
“I was dead asleep, how could I get carsick?”
Zhao Louyue didn’t drive into the villa area but stopped at the entrance, “So you’ll go in by yourself? I still have things to do.”
“Alright, don’t let me hold you up.”
Jiang Shen walked around to the driver’s seat, while Zhao Louyue stood by the flower bed.
As the car restarted, Jiang Shen rolled down the window.
Under the streetlights, Jiang Shen noticed for the first time that Zhao Louyue was wearing a pure black overcoat that reached past his knees. The style was simple, the material smooth, clinging to his tall and strong frame. The man’s deep-set eyes looked at Jiang Shen with a hint of a smile, waiting for him to say something.
The night breeze blew, clearing Jiang Shen’s mind a bit. He said, “If you’re free, I’ll treat you to coffee.”
Zhao Louyue propped one hand on the car roof, leaning down slightly to speak to Jiang Shen, “Alright, it’s windy, hurry back inside.”
At such close range, both of them were a visual treat to each other.
—Indeed handsome.
—Wife.
Jiang Shen drove into the villa area, his usual gloomy mood when returning to the Jiang residence completely gone.
He opened the door to find Jiang Mao and Tian Lu sitting on the sofa, their emotions still raw. Jiang Mao looked distressed, while Tian Lu’s eyes were red, looking lost.
Jiang Shen straightened up slightly and asked as he approached, “What’s wrong?”
Tian Lu seemed to be touched at her most vulnerable spot, tears falling with a “plop.” She gently wiped them away with her slender fingers, her voice hoarse, “It’s nothing.”
Jiang Shen glanced around, “Where’s Dad?”
Tian Lu lowered her head, her shoulders trembling slightly.
Jiang Mao shook his head slightly at Jiang Shen.
Tian Lu was very upset, so Jiang Shen didn’t go upstairs. Instead, he sat with Jiang Mao, one on each side of her. In the middle, Jiang Mao prepared a fruit platter, his knife skills lacking, cutting a watermelon into a crooked pig’s head, which made Tian Lu laugh out loud.
Jiang Mao laughed along.
Tian Lu seemed to relax a bit, perhaps feeling embarrassed in front of her two sons, and excused herself to go upstairs to rest.
Once she left, Jiang Shen got straight to the point, “What’s going on?”
Jiang Mao didn’t hide it, though it was difficult to say, speaking in broken sentences, “Dad, he’s been on a business trip to Country B these past few days. The bars there have all sorts of people… Dad might have gotten drunk, and some not-so-good photos were taken.”
Jiang Shen’s face darkened, “Did he cheat?”
“No, no!” Jiang Mao waved his hands repeatedly, “The most intimate photo is just a woman leaning against his shoulder.”
“Alright, I got it.” Jiang Shen nodded, “You should get some rest too.”
“Okay.”
After showering, Jiang Shen came out to the sound of heavy rain outside. He sent a message to Wang Xiuyu, telling them not to rush with picking dates and to take care of their health.
The next afternoon, Duan Nan called.
“Deputy Jiang, I’m really sorry. That brat Duan Chaosheng has been spoiled by his mother, doesn’t know the immensity of heaven and earth!”
Jiang Shen could hear the anger in his voice, but wasn’t sure who it was directed at. Duan Nan only had one son, Duan Chaosheng, and when it came to spoiling him, he was no less guilty. Jiang Shen wasn’t seriously hurt, but he knew he had hit hard enough that Duan Chaosheng would definitely need to go to the hospital for an X-ray.
But even so, Jiang Shen had to make sure that Duan Nan and his son understood that they had to apologize, whether they wanted to or not.
After exchanging a few polite words with Duan Nan, Jiang Shen hung up the phone.